Aaron Smith 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) comes in a wide variety of options depending on what you need protection from. For physicians, this most commonly refers to masks, eye protection, gloves, and clothing protection.

Not all PPE materials are created equal, however, and the composition will change how you use the equipment to 

. From disposables meant to reduce the spread of germs, to reusable equipment that can be easily washed and sanitized, healthcare professionals use a huge variety of PPE every day.

Let’s start with the biggest PPE topic of discussion during COVD-19: masks. Cloth masks made of cotton or other fabric are the easiest to make and use; however, their loosely-woven material and lack of filters means they are not suitable for physicians providing medical care. They can be worn around 

 to help prevent the wearer from spreading the virus, but that’s all.

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 are made of plastic fibers like polypropylene. They are loose-fitting and best for physicians treating non-COVID patients. These types of masks help prevent the wearer from spreading large droplets of saliva when they talk or cough, but they don’t protect the wearer from others’ contaminants.

Respiratory masks, like N-95s or FFP2s, are made from a polyester shell and contain a polypropylene filter within that shell. This combination of materials, paired with the tight seal around your mouth and nose, means that these high-grade masks 

 from spreading germs. They’re best for those who are working directly with infected patients.

Eye protection is fairly straightforward when it comes to materials. Most are made of plastic frames with glass or plastic lenses and are designed to function similarly to surgical masks, in that they protect the wearer from others’ contaminants. They can also serve as a reminder not to touch your face or eye area.

Another option is a large face shield, usually made of plastic, that doubles as eye and mouth protection. These shields are worn on your head and come down to act as a barrier between your entire face and potentially infected individuals. Plastic is preferable, as it is easy to clean and less breakable than glass. Pair these with masks for even better protection.

Physicians are very familiar with latex gloves. These gloves are made from rubber latex, a material useful in barrier protection. They are also disposable, which is essential for preventing the spread of infection.

For those with latex allergies, nitrile gloves work well. Nitrile is a hypoallergenic, synthetic compound. These gloves also provide barrier protection and are disposable, exactly like latex. However, nitrile gloves are slightly more resistant to puncture and tearing, so they make an excellent choice for physicians, as they regularly use needles, scalpels, and other sharp instruments.

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Clothing protection offers the widest variety in terms of the materials with which it is made. The traditional white lab coat is the most basic and is usually made of cotton, linen, or a polyester blend. There is some debate as to the cleanliness of these lab coats and, thus, their continued usage, but they do help protect physicians’ clothes and exposed skin from germs.

Surgical gowns are also effective PPE. These come in a wide variety of ratings depending on the severity of infection or other contaminants. Non-surgical, disposable gowns are usually made from woven polyester. These are useful for low-risk situations where a reusable option is preferable.

Other surgical gowns are made from a fabric called Spunbond Meltblown Spunbond, or SMS. It’s a lightweight, non-woven fabric made from layers of polypropylene processed in different ways. This material is strong and very effective at filtering out contaminants.

When there is a higher risk of infection, physicians will tape closed the entry points of their gowns, like the areas around the wrists. For the highest risk of contamination, entire suits called coveralls are used. These are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is very effective at keeping the wearer safe from contamination.

Continuing with the higher-risk scenarios, physicians often wear head coverings. These are made from similar materials, like polypropylene blends, to the other PPE equipment we’ve discussed, and come in the form of caps and hoods. Depending on the severity of infection, these coverings can extend down the neck area and connect to the main body PPE.

Similar to head coverings, if shoe coverings are required, they are typically made from similar polypropylene materials. They are almost always disposable and help prevent grime and infections from contaminating a physicians’ shoes for personal protection. They are also useful in helping prevent infections from outside getting introduced to sterile environments.

Personal protective equipment is vital in preventing the spread of infections and diseases. Most PPE comes in some form of woven plastic material, but there are variations like cotton or another porous fabric. It’s essential to know the level of protection you need and choose the material that will meet that level.

Aaron Smith is an LA-based content strategist and consultant in support of STEM firms and medical practices. He covers industry developments and helps healthcare professionals connect with patients. In his free time, Aaron enjoys swimming, swing dancing, and sci-fi novels.

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Not all PPE materials are created equal and compensation will change how you use this equipment in your workplace.

PPE composition: Variations matter

Ideally, every moving part of the healthcare organization, right down to the smallest healthcare practice, would always be compliant with all medical and hazardous waste regulations. As anyone who has ever worked in a large and bureaucratic field like healthcare knows, it can be easy for certain things to slip through the cracks. Whether it is done intentionally or accidentally, there is always the risk that some medical, hazardous, or pharmaceutical waste might be disposed of improperly. 

Poor medical waste practices should never be brushed off as unimportant. Improperly disposed of medical waste can have huge consequences not only for your bottom line but for the environment and your community as well. Absolutely no safety precaution is too trivial to observe to the fullest extent in this regard. Here are some of the detailed risks that are associated with the improper 

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It goes without saying that, as a healthcare provider, this is the most serious risk associated with improper disposal of medical waste. Every day, healthcare facilities of all sizes produce varying amounts of potentially hazardous waste, including sharps, biohazards, and even pharmaceuticals that may cause harm or contamination if they are not properly disposed of through the correct channels. If any of your personnel are injured or contaminated during the process of disposal and management, be aware that there may be serious consequences for you and your facility. 

 is incredibly important, so make sure to impress the value of safety precautions upon anyone working in close proximity to medical waste in your organization. 

Even without the tragedy of having someone injured or exposed on the job, you might find yourself in legal hot water if you are not careful to adhere to all disposal regulations. These ramifications can be incredibly confusing and can consume a lot of your productivity. The medical organization will always be held liable for any sort of incident, and ignorance of any law or guideline, no matter how obscure or seemingly trivial, will not provide a legitimate excuse. In fact, during the current COVID-19 pandemic, 

liability for medical professionals has even increased

. If any damage is done to your staff, patients, or the community in which you operate, a number of lawsuits may follow that could bring your business to a grinding halt. Oftentimes, even malpractice insurance does not cover this type of infringement. 

 establish many of the guidelines that are necessary for the proper disposal of medical waste, and it is important for any healthcare provider to be intimately familiar with these regulations, using them as a guideline for any and all practices for medical waste disposal. Oftentimes fines are imposed not only for every breach of compliance but for every individual infraction within the process. With so many fines involved for the slightest infringement, you can’t really afford to be non-compliant. With all healthcare organizations following strict guidelines, healthier communities can be created for years to come. 

Liabilities continue to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Risks and consequences of improper medical waste management

In the world of healthcare, America is currently faced with one of the most daunting challenges in recent memory. The coronavirus has swept through the world in a very short period, causing widespread concern for many countries worldwide. As laboratories the world over race for a vaccine, everyone must do their part to slow and contain the spread of the virus as best that we can. As practitioners in the healthcare industry, you are at the forefront of this fight and must ensure that your practices are clean, your patients are safe, and perhaps most importantly, that all COVID-19 medical waste is disposed of as safely and effectively as possible. 
	
	

The threat of COVID-19 took the world by storm relatively quickly, in part because at the time of the initial outbreak, only a few patients required any sort of hospitalization. The surprise global effect of COVID-19 has caused a shortage in certain supplies, such as masks. Indeed, solid waste such as personal protective equipment represents the most considerable volume of waste generated by the pandemic. In contrast to other epidemics of the past, such as the Ebola crisis, patients themselves are not producing large quantities of biohazard or pathological waste. If there is a silver lining to be observed in this crisis, this is certainly it. 

It is important to note that any waste that has been in contact with a facility that is housing a COVID-19 patient or a person who has been exposed to the coronavirus, including decontamination materials, is to be treated as regulated medical waste. 

Despite how it has been largely advertised to the public, the novel coronavirus is not a 

 are thought to be through respiratory droplets (produced from a cough or a sneeze). It has also been thought that persons who touch a surface that has been touched by a carrier of the disease and then touch their own mouth or other facial orifices could also contract the disease this way, though this has not been thought of as the primary means for the spread of the disease. Furthermore, this means of transference can be circumvented through habitual discipline. Considering all of these factors, it is very unlikely for a person who is not in regular contact with a carrier of the disease to contract it. The 

 has recommended that control of COVID-19 waste be handled through 

, with personal protective equipment standard to infection control. For those workers that may be in close proximity to carriers of the disease, airborne protective equipment is advised as well. 

Medical Waste Experts are Standing By to Tackle the Challenge

As always, your best bet in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic is to contract a trusted and OSHA-compliant 

 expert that can handle all of your needs on your schedule. Drivers in the medical waste community are prepared with airborne safety masks as well as sanitizer ready in their trucks. The novel coronavirus pandemic is certainly one of the greatest challenges that the American healthcare system has ever faced, but by following strict regulation and by observing all safety protocols every step of the way, it is a challenge that can be overcome. 

An OSHA-compliant medical waste manager may be your best bet.

Author | Aaron Smith

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